1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to guns and particularly bolt action guns and more particularly to a linear bolt mechanism movable between an open position and a firing position independent of rotation of the bolt.
2. Description of Related Art
Many guns generally utilize a “rotary lock-up” bolt locking system in which a locking member portion of the bolt rotates about a centerline of the barrel, engaging and disengaging tabs or lugs with mating surfaces in the barrel or gun. The tabs, or lugs, traditionally have been integral components of the bolt head and are required to support the rearward axial load produced by the discharge force such as the firing of a shell or cartridge in the breech. As a result of this integral design, the entire bolt head assembly is required to rotate to engage and disengage the lugs. Many firearms further must incorporate an extractor to pull the shell or cartridge out of the breech when the bolt is opened, wherein the extractor is typically mechanically attached the bolt so as to rotate as an integral component of the bolt assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,961 provides a straight-pull breechblock with rotating-boss locking mechanism for repeating weapons, having a breechblock sleeve which is guided in a breechblock housing and carries a bolt handle for the manual to-and-fro motion and in which, by means of a shaft, a breechblock head which bears locking bosses is mounted in a forcibly guided, rotatable manner, and which breechblock sleeve comprises a firing pin which is acted upon by a firing spring, which further serves to generate an angular momentum in order to rotate the breechblock head in the locking position into the locking chamber corresponding to the locking bosses.
However, the need remains for a bolt mechanism that is not handed or preferential. That is, there is a need for a bolt mechanism that can selectively open and close a breech of a gun without requiring rotational motion of the bolt, or a portion of the bolt assembly. The need also exists for a bolt mechanism that can selectively open and close a breech of a gun with equal left hand or right hand motions.